Well the latest and greatest show on earth starts on Monday – The EPA Board hearings into Plan Change 6 & the dam. Kick off is at 9:30am at the Hawkes Bay Opera House. Home time is at 5:00pm, so it’s a full day for everyone. All welcome!

What we propose doing on this blog site is to give a quick commentary on the days proceedings, and a very quick update on what’s up on the next day.

First up HBRC & HBRIC make their opening statements which should only take 6 hours! First representative off the ranks is Helen Codlin from HBRC. Her cross examination by Ngati Kahungunu after 3:30pm could be very interesting as her evidence will cover such riveting issues as:

(a) Geographical Setting of Tukituki River Catchment

(b) Why Change 6 is needed

(c) Summary of historical issues for the Tukituki River

(d) HBRC’s Strategic Land and Water Management Approach

(e) Tukituki Water Strategy

(f) Relevant Plan Changes

(g) Integration of the Tukituki Plan Change and the Ruataniwha Water Storage Project Decision-Making

(h) Consultation processes

(i) Overview of Change 6 – Tukituki River Catchment

(j) Current status of Change 5 to the Regional Policy Statement

(k) Response to submissions with respect to the policy development process.